Message to Haywood County citizens from Public Health Director Patrick Johnson.
First: when you do go out for essential activities at a grocery store or hardware store, make sure you thank the person manning the cash register and the other employees. They are doing generally unrecognized but courageous work to help us all survive what may be the most momentous time of our lives! Second: before you go, make sure you really need to and, most importantly, don’t go if you are sick. Be a good neighbor. No one wants a supermarket or big box hardware store to be our “Mardi Gras.”
Our core Public Health communication right now is promoting the stay at home message (for everyone), keeping informed from credible sources of information (see below) and not seeking medical care or testing if you only have mild symptoms. When our first case is identified locally the Haywood County Health Department will aggressively trace, test and contain anyone we identify who was exposed to this virus. We don’t want to lose anyone to COVID-19.
- NC COVID Cases: 1,498 (8 deaths); Western NC: Buncombe 22 (1 death) Henderson 18, Cherokee 7, Transylvania 5 , Jackson 2, Clay 1
- Haywood County Tests: Total: 115, Negative 70, Positive 0, Awaiting results 45
- Haywood County COVID Call Center: 828-356-2019. 8am-7pm, 7 Days a week. Options for medical questions, local resources, and questions about state and county stay-at-home proclamations will be added soon. Listen for them and make your selection.
- Big thanks to our school nurses who have stepped up to man the phone lines M-F and the Haywood County Library staff for weekend coverage!
- “Heavy” Social Distancing: People need to know if the sacrifice of “Stay at Home” will actually help flatten the curve. New data indicates that tight social distancing restrictions work to reduce hospital overcrowding and lower death rates in hard-hit urban areas.
- Nutrition: Refer to the attached Haywood County Resources handout for the latest information and resources for county residents.
- Credible Sources: The most up to date information and guidance can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html [cdc.gov] and https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina [ncdhhs.gov], and https://www.haywoodcountync.gov/684/Coronavirus-Covid-19-Information
- Quote: “By the time you see COVID, it has already penetrated your community.” Dr Deborah Birx
